The present invention relates to the field of ergonometric devices and to the means for providing convenient, reliable access to computing equipment while actively using exercise equipment.
Exercising has become a regular part of many people's lives. As society has become more urban, people have had to adopt ways of exercising that are removed from active physical exertion through laborious work. They instead have come to rely on the use of exercise equipment as a substitute.
Many adults in developed countries do not engage in even 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. According to the Surgeon General's most recent report “more than 60 percent of adults do not achieve the recommended amount of regular physical activity. In fact, according to statistics at the US Center for Disease Control, 25 percent of all adults are not active at all. Many adults excuse themselves from exercise by claiming they do not have time to exercise. One of the things that occupies a large amount of time, especially for working professionals, is working on their laptop computers.
Over the past seven years, personal computer use has increased by 25%. Over that same time, internet use has increased by 36% according to NTIA data. More than half of all PC buyers are buying laptops. In May 2005, notebook sales accounted for 53% of total PC sales, up 7% from the previous year according to USA Today. This suggests an increasing trend for computer users with an increasing desire to be mobile. Furthermore, prices for mobile computing have decreased and the applications for laptop computer use have increased.
The next logical step for a typical non-active laptop user desiring more mobility and realizing that s/he needs to exercise more is to use his or her laptop while exercising. This allows the user to continue working while getting at least a moderate amount of physical activity.
A convenient form of exercising that is available at any hour is the exercise machine. Exercise equipment is designed to provide a user with active physical exertion while remaining in the same location. In the past, exercisers on machines have had limited options to occupy themselves on exercise machines. Many machines provide small shelves that can accommodate a book or magazine. Users will often times rely on portable listening devices (like tape, CD, or MP3 players) to keep their minds engaged during exercise. Many fitness centers offer television monitors near the machines, but programming choices can rarely be selected by individual users. And most inconveniently, users are not able to access their mobile computers while exercising.
This present invention provides a device that allows an exerciser to combine two activities that are important but have not been possible to do together in the past. By providing an adjustable laptop holder that mounts reliably to exercise equipment, users can maximize the value of their time by exercising and computing concurrently. Users now have a wide variety of options to keep themselves engaged during their workout. One option is pure entertainment: watching DVDs on the laptop screen, surfing the internet (subject to wireless access availability), or listening to music saved on the computer. Another option is to catch up on necessary tasks: reading email, newsletters online, online banking, headline surfing, etc. Additionally, users can even use their laptops for more specific work-related activities: participating in online conference calls requiring access to an online presentation, reading/writing work documents, and general work-related tasks involving the computer. Finally, users can integrate programs on their laptop with the exercise equipment to conduct analysis, digitize their exercise experience, or play games that use their motion as an input. They can also manipulate the computer via a controller or a mouse that is integrated with the apparatus or provided as an attachment to the exercise machine as part of the apparatus package. The possibilities are endless, and in an increasingly mobile and broadband world, having the option to use one's laptop while exercising is fast becoming a necessity.
Laptop holders are known in the art. Users can position their laptops on a mount standing on a desk or flat surface. Stands for laptops also can sit on a surface to which there is attached an extensible arm that is mounted to a flat surface. Freestanding laptop holders are also available, acting much like music stands for portability to any desired location. Mounting with a sleeve on a tube is also known in the art, though separately.
It is further known that a user might use an exercise machine and at the same time be tuned to a monitor or screen. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have come up with a computer built into a treadmill. However, this requires a significant investment per treadmill/computer workstation and per square foot to redesign an office.
The present invention eliminates the need for costly renovations, and provides users with a means to use a regular laptop (and even their own laptop) while exercising. To date, an invention has not demonstrated a way to mount a laptop to a piece of exercise equipment in a way that is adjustable, secure, minimizes vibrations and provides appropriate ergonomic access to a laptop such that the user can use the laptop and the exercise equipment at the same time. The challenges with using a laptop on an exercise machine are three-fold: First, the laptop must be supported in a safe, stable and ergonomic manner to both the laptop and the user. Secondly, the laptop must be able to be positioned for users of different statures, as well as for use on various machines. Thirdly, the laptop holder must provide a convenient means of attachment to the exercise machine. A device providing the solution to this need has not been found in the art.
Reliably mounting a laptop to exercise equipment has been too cumbersome, too expensive, and too difficult. For this reason, this invention is novel and useful.